LCA holds off VES for tournament title

It was comeback-in-vain night at the Lynchburg Independent Schools Christmas Tournament Tuesday. Virginia Episcopal and Timberlake Christian each scrapped their way back from late-game deficits only to fall a bit short. Lynchburg Christian Academy escaped with a 65-63 win over VES for the tournament championship, while Holy Cross staved off Timberlake Christian, 50-49, in the consolation game at VES' William King Field House.

"That's what high school basketball is all about," said VES coach Bob Leake.

VES trailed 61-50 with 4:23 left in the championship when Leake called a timeout to regroup his players. The pep talk paid off: the Bishops took advantage of the Bulldogs' missed front ends of three one-and-ones, scoring nine straight to cut the score to 61-59 with 2:17 left. Two jumpers from tournament MVP Sherm Reynolds along with a Neal Harrell 3-pointer and a Sheldon Rhyne follow got the Bishops back into contention. VES had a chance to tie it at 61, but Reynolds was called for traveling. LCA's Kevin Hartless drove the lane for a scoop layup to make it 63-59 with 1:17 left. Rhyne got VES back within one (64-63) with :19 left on another follow inside, and LCA's Corey Compton pushed it back out to 65-63 by making one of two free throws with :13 remaining. LCA got the ball back to Reynolds' hands on VES' final possession, but his turnaround prayer from the corner bounced off the rim and out of bounds with one second left. VES got one more chance when Bruce Summers' inbounds pass sailed over everyone and off the court, and Rhyne's desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer was tipped away by LCA's Tobey Forbus.

Reynolds, the Bishops' leading scorer, followed Monday night's 23-point performance against Timberlake with 22 against LCA. Marc Usher (23 points), Kevin Hartless (16) and 3-point designee Corey Compton (13) were the catalysts that helped LCA pull away from a close first half. LCA hit seven 3-pointers to VES' four. LCA improved to 4-3; VES fell to 1-2.

In the consolation game, Holy Cross held a 49-40 lead late in the fourth period, but could only manage one free throw the rest of the way. Timberlake kept whittling the lead with short jumpers and free throws, pulling within one, 50-49, with eight seconds left when Doug Allen scored from inside. LCA's Vernon Patterson missed the front of a one-and-one with four seconds left, but Timberlake's chances ended when Allen threw the ball away off the dribble. Holy Cross, 3-5, made only eight of 18 free throws and missed almost all of its foul shots down the stretch; Timberlake, 0-6, was almost as bad (eight of 16) but made most of them when they counted. Holy Cross coach John Laneve pointed to his team's inability to maintain a lead — the Bulldogs had also given up a 10-point lead the night before in the loss to LCA.

By Scott Michaux, Staff writer
The News & Advance